Analysis Thread: Dealing With Absolutes

[schir1964]

Dealing With Absolutes

Preamble

Dealing with absolute effects in the Hero System has been bandied about numerous times in various threads. And I also understand that there is official guidelines in one of the supplements that is also dedicated to this subject. The two problems with absolute effects is cost and interaction resolution of two opposing absolute effects. The following is just a suggestion on how one might deal with these two problems in order to implement absolute effects in their games.

Cost

There are only two methods for costs: Fixed or Scaled. To me, it makes more sense to go with a Scaled Cost since a Fixed Cost will become too cheap over time. One of the ancillary problems with Absolute Effects is that the character with such a power will over time become overly powerful. So to try mitigate both these problems I propose that the Cost of an Absolute Effect should be a Percentage of the character's Total Points (such as 1/4th, 1/3rd, or 1/2). The ramifications of this cost is that the character will gain a powerful absolute effect by sacrificing the ability to be at the same power level in other areas and will continue to be so since a portion of all XP expenditure must be dedicated to be spent on the Absolute Effect.

Opposing Absolute Effects: Interaction Resolution

There can be numerous methods to resolve conflicts between opposing absolute effects.

 

• Nullification:
  The two powers nullify each other so the characters interact as if they don't have the powers.
  
  
• Overloading:
  The power that has more active points overloads the one that has less and can affect the target character.
  
  
• Power Rolls:
  Each character rolls dice (1d6 Per 20 Points In Absolute Effect) with the higher total determining which Absolute Effect has won the conflict for that moment.
  
  
• Skill Rolls:
  Skill Rolls are used to determining the winner with the Absolute Effect granting bonuses/penalties (1 Point Bonus/Penalty Per 20 Points Absolute Effect)
  
  

 

Which method is used depends on the GM and what kind of style of play they want in their game.

Additional Restrictions

The GM may still want to impose more restrictions in order to keep balance in their campaign. One such restriction might be to only allow a limited number of Absolute Effects to be purchased by any one character (such as 1 Absolute Effect Maximum Per Character or No Duplication Of Absolute Effects). This may help each character have a power that lets them shine that others won't have.

 

Just Some Meanderings (Taken With A Grain Of Salt)

 

- Christopher Mullins (8^D)

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Analysis Thread: Dealing With Absolutes

 

Respectfully, I think you're looking at this backwards, and have thereby arrived at a costing that makes no sense. It doesn't matter how powerful the character is who has the absolute effect... it matters how powerful the absolute effect is. In a campaign where blasts of cosmic energy often exceed 20d6, but mental attacks are never more than 5d6, it should of course cost more to be immune to energy than it costs to be immune to psi. If you have an attack that never misses, it should cost a lot more if that attack is 30d6 than it should if the attack is 2d6.

[schir1964]

Re: Analysis Thread: Dealing With Absolutes

 

Respectfully' date=' I think you're looking at this backwards, and have thereby arrived at a costing that makes no sense.[/quote']

I think you are misunderstanding what I've suggested above.

It doesn't matter how powerful the character is who has the absolute effect... it matters how powerful the absolute effect is.

I never suggested otherwise. Obviously, when evaluated in isolation, an Absolute Effect should cost more if it grants more utility than another Absolute Effect of specific cost. This is reflected in the different percentages listed. If a Absolute Effect grants massive utility to the character, then the percentage for that effect should be greater than an Absolute Effect that grants less utility.

 

As others have explained, having a narrow Absolute Effect won't be overbalancing in isolation. It is when the Absolute Effect is combined with other powers that the synergy becomes overwhelming. What is the single easiest measure of those other powers? Total Active Points of the character. So to mitigate that synergy, if a percentage of the Total Active Points needs to be dedicated to the Absolute Effect, that results in less Active Points to devote to other Synergistic Powers.

 

Thus, as time passes and the character increases in power, they will increase at a much slower pace in other powers than equivalent characters that have no Absolute Effect powers.

 

Plus the percentages I've presented so far are only suggested ones, nothing to say that those percentages need be used, only that a percentage of the Total Active Points of the character be used.

 

Cost too expensive for the utility, reduce the percentage.

Cost too cheap for the utility, increase the percentage.

 

Hope this help clarifies things (which doesn't mean anyone will agree).

 

- Christopher Mullins